Ridgefield School Of Dance To Present 'Four Seasons' Ballet in June

RIDGEFIELD, CT — The Ridgefield School of Dance will close its 2024–25 season with a weekend of performances featuring the ballet "Four Seasons" and the contemporary dance suite "Shifting Colors" on June 7 and 8 at Ridgefield High School.

The event marks a return of the school’s 2021 premiere of "Four Seasons," which previously debuted to a limited audience due to pandemic-related restrictions. The ballet features choreography by Artistic Director Jessica Boelts and former faculty member Danielle Santos and is set to both Antonio Vivaldi’s original score and Max Richter’s modern recomposition. The work is described as dynamic and athletic, capturing the emotional and seasonal shifts of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

"We can’t wait to share the ballet with a larger audience and with additional levels of dancers this time,” said Executive Director Alison Brown. “Not only will pre-professional divisions be performing but also dancers from Ballet 2 through Ballet 5.”

Dancers featured in the pre-professional cast include Lauren Minor of Wilton as Winter, Allegra Groth of Ridgefield as Autumn, Alexandra McCausland of Ridgefield as Spring, and Zoe Keenan of Ridgefield as Summer.

Younger performers from the Pre-ballet and Ballet 1 levels will open the program with a new piece titled “The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.” Set to Benjamin Britten’s music with narration by Sean Connery, the ballet introduces audience members to the different sections of the orchestra through movement and character. Choreography is by Boelts and instructor Violeta Katz. Pre-professional dancers will also contribute to the performance in lead roles representing various orchestral families.

The performances will conclude with "Shifting Colors," a showcase from the school’s Jazz department that includes Jazz, Theatre Dance, Tap, Lyrical, Modern, and Fusion/Contemporary styles. Choreographers Stevi Van Meter and Jamie Rae Walker lead the presentation, which features diverse music selections and a wide range of movement vocabulary.

“Shifting Colors” is designed to reflect a broad spectrum of expression and technique, offering audiences a contrast to the classical pieces earlier in the program.

General admission seating is available for the Saturday, June 7 performance at 6:30 p.m., and assigned seating is offered for the Sunday, June 8 matinée at 1 p.m. Tickets and additional information are available through the Ridgefield School of Dance website or online here.